Angel
by KatieCatoe
Summary: A girl alone in a strange world. More memories slipping away everyday. The only thing she can do is survive. But, is there a possibility that this world isn't as bad as it seems.
1. The Fallen

Her wings flapped uselessly. Trying in vain to slow her steady descent. She felt the charred rags of her clothes flapping against her body. Her long chestnut hair flowing in front of her face. Her body flipping and turning as her decent instead of slowing seemed to increase. But she clutched the potion given to her by the Blue Fairy.

Finally she saw the ground below. It was a clearing in a thick wood, she could tell even from this height that it was frosted with snow. Ridiculously she remembered when she and Emma had built a snowman. She could already feel the memories leaving her, as if the closer she got to this world, the farther she was from her old one. The memories were slipping away as if she were trying to hold water in a cup full of holes.

It was hard for her to make out but she was sure she saw a blurry shape below. As she grew closer she saw the one shape morph into three. She closed her eyes bracing herself for the crash fast approaching. She hoped against hope that it would kill her. But she knew there was no chance of that.

She landed and created a huge crater in the ground from her fall. She felt exhaustion deep in her bones and a pain was spreading through her back like fire. She was slumped and then slowly rolled her shoulders back standing up to her full height and stretching her burnt, smoke covered wings out behind her.

It was an impressive display. The soot coated and singed wings contrasted intimidatingly against the fresh fallen snow. Her face was grimy and sweaty but her bright blue eyes shined out and glared at her surroundings. Her eyes were almost ghostly the way they gleamed. Her upright stance was worthy of a super hero. Her legs were spread shoulder width apart and everything about her stance said that she had seen it all and was ready for a fight. It certainly helped that the crater she landed in was still smoking. The sight was enough to make any grown man scream for his mommy.

The spectacle was somewhat diminished though when she winced at the pain of that simple motion and pulled her white blue-tipped wings back quickly. She scanned the scene in front of her. She was in a graveyard. There was a lovely woman with raven hair, pale skin, and a heavily embroidered cloak standing in between a pale man with curly blond hair reaching shoulder-length and a trickle of blond running from his nose, he was clothed all in black, and a brown haired man with beautiful green eyes and a line of stubble outlining his strong jaw. They were all staring at her intently Which figures. They were dressed as if they were at a medieval fair. The cold bit down at her and she felt goosebumps crawl up her skin.

Quickly she looked down at her chest. Sure enough the potion in the soft blue bottle hanging from a golden chain was still wrapped around her neck.

"Who are you?" asked the blond haired man in a strange accent, She had heard it before but couldn't quite place it. He had a sense of authority about him of a man used to being treated with respect, reverence even.

"Really? That's the question you choose to ask?" She scoffed at him, "Not 'am I alright?' or 'are those wings I see?' you disappoint me. Also the question you just asked has to be the hardest of them all."

He blinked hard once.

"_Are_ you alright, m'lady?" Asked the green eyed man, in the accent she now identified as British.

"See? There's a gentleman." She said gesturing. She noticed him cast a glance at the raven haired lady. "The m'lady isn't really necessary. However, as long as you ask, I just got stabbed in the back. Literally and figuratively." She winced again and placed one hand between her shoulder blades, when she drew it back she saw it was covered in blood. She felt the warm blood sliding down her back and it made her feel sick.

They were still gawking at her and eyeing her wings apprehensively.

"Where have you come from?" Asked the raven-haired lady in a British accent.

_'__Maybe I'm in Britain.'_ She wondered.

The lady also had a sort of regality about her.

"Good question. But I think I need medical attention. Like immediately." She said dropping to her knees her vision going fuzzy at the edges.

Blondie rushed over and gripped her waist helping her to her feet and allowing her to lean on him.

"Thanks." She whispered her face growing sweaty and her skin feverish.

"We can't take her through the front." Said Blondie, "Her strange clothes will draw attention."

"Not to mention her wings." Added Green eyes.

"Are we actually considering helping her? How can we? We just met her. And whot is she anyway? Some kind of witch?" Raven-hair asked getting in her face as if hoping to find answers there.

"I'm with the boys here. Let's help the poor girl who just crash landed in our woods." She said weakly. "And I don't even know what qualifies as witch-craft here. Or if there even is magic."

"See? Whot kind of answer is that?" Said Raven-hair taking her answer as proof that she was unstable and possibly dangerous.

"Please.." She croaked out before everything went black.


	2. Awakening

She awoke in a bed. She was wearing a kind of dress, made of a thick, rough material. There was a pitcher of water on a table next to the bed. Suddenly parched, she sat up. _To quick_, her mind and gaping hole in her back screamed. She bit her lip hard to keep the bile down. She forced herself to move her body around so that her feet fell off the bed she was on. She noticed the thick bandages, wrapped around her chest and back wound, restraining her movements. With her feet grazing the floor she reached for the pitcher and, ignoring the cup beside it, she slurped at the water from the pitcher itself. Already feeling better she attempted to get out of the bed. Tears formed in her eyes but she held them back and stood up anyway.

_'__Pain is just a message.'_ She thought

She tried to stretch out her right wing. It was stiff, but at least there wasn't a blinding pain. She tried to stretch out her left wing. A mistake. The pain was immediate and it made her gasp and whimper. She quickly stopped.

_'The stab wound must be nearer to might left wing.'_ She concluded. _'It'll probably be a few days until I can fly again.'_

A tall, bearded man stepped into the room from behind a small wooden door.

"You're awake." He stated awkwardly.

"And you're a genius." She muttered under her breath.

"You really shouldn't be out of bed, m'lady" He continued, "Even angels need their rest."

'_What the hell? They think I'm an angel? And what is with all of this m'lady stuff?'_ She thought.

She bit back a derisive laugh and instead nodded solemnly.

"That is very true." She said in an angelic voice. "Angels also tend to not like confined spaces." She said glancing around the room. It was true that she was claustrophobic. She preferred the open air to being cooped up in a dimly lit room with a man who thinks she is an angel.

"When you get bettar I promise to allow you to walk the grounds." He assured her, with a somewhat knowing look on his face. "Get back in bed, m'lady, you need rest."

She complied because even that tiny bit of activity had exhausted her. However she still wasn't sure she liked being referred to as m'lady. He came over to her and took the empty pitcher.

"I'm Nostradamus, m'lady. In case you were wondering." He informed her.

Crawling back under the covers she reached for the chain with the potion on it. Not finding it her eyes shot back open.

"Excuse me, have you seen my necklace?" She asked Nostradamus, trying not to sound like she was freaking out.

"Yes it's on the table beside you. But I burned the remains of your clothes."

"That's fine." She replied reaching for the potion and slipping it around her neck. She closed her eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.

She awoke with Green eyes sitting in a chair beside her bed. She took a moment to take in the way he was slumped in his chair. His eyes were unfocused and he kept clenching his jaw.

"Hello." She said wondering if he was okay. He blinked hard and straightened up in his chair before turning to her and clearing his throat.

"Hello, m'lady. How are you feeling?" He said with an attempt at a smile. He looked quite sad and she wondered why.

"Peachy."

"You feel like a fruit?" He asked furrowing his brows and cocking his head to the side.

"Never mind. And I thought I told you not to refer to me as m'lady." She said narrowing her eyes at him.

"Sorry." He said while furrowing his brows again. "I'm Sebastian - or - Bash by the way." He continued. "And I can't refer to you as anything else without knowing your name."

"I'm - uh -" She hesitated, "I don't know my name."

'_That's odd.' _She thought. _'I thought I knew it yesterday...'_ She remembered that she did indeed know what she was called yesterday, but she couldn't remember what that was. It was almost as if her name was skirting around the edges of her memory and the more she reached for it the farther away it flew.

He stared at her thinking, "Venus." He said, "I believe it suits you."

She smiled at him. She quite liked being named after the goddess of love even if she preferred Minerva, the goddess of war and wisdom.

"When can I go outside, Bash?" She asked. She was eager to start exploring.

"I don't know. At the moment you are a secret. And with your wings. There's no way everyone will treat you as sweetly as we do. You saw the way Mary reacted."

A longing look entered his eyes when he said her name.

"I have something that might fix that." Venus said reaching for the potion around her neck.

'_Hope this works.' _She thought.

"Wot is that?" Bash asked.

"Don't freak out, I'm going to use some magic. But I can assure you that this is Light Magic."

He looked throughly confused at that.

"Here goes." She said.

Venus took the smallest possible sip of the clear golden potion. It burned on the way down, but then ... nothing.

She heard Bash gasp.

"What's happening?" She asked quickly.

"Your wings, Venus! They're gone!" He exclaimed.

'_Thank you God'_ Venus thought. Breathing a sigh of relief.

"There is magic in this land." She whispered under her breath.

She ran her hand over the potion, her hand began glowing light blue and the potion filled itself up once more.

"As long as there is some potion left in the bottle it can be refilled by magic." Venus explained to Bash's stupefied face.

"You _are_ a witch!" He exclaimed pointing.

_'__Well I'm no angel'_ She thought. _'Best to play up the angel angle though, at least until I'm sure they won't burn me at the stake.'_

"Angels have magic too." She replied pulling out the old angelic voice.

"How did you get here, Venus?" He asked staring at her. His intense gaze made her blush.

_' __A story... I guess I should just tell him some half truths.'_

"There are evil angels as well, they work for Lucifer. There was one of these hiding within our ranks. I had no idea he was there. He had an opportunity to strike and he took it, banishing me here. The worst part is that I was unable to warn the others about his betrayal." Her heart filled with fear for the ones she left behind. But she knew that there was no going back. Never again.

"Maybe you'll see them again." He said softly.

"Maybe. Why are you here?" She asked.

"When I was stabbed, someone came and read to me. I find that it helps to distract yourself from the pain." Bash explained.

She could tell he was referring not to just the physical pain but also emotional.

"What book you got there?" She asked.

"It's Greek myths." He said referring to the old book with the tattered green cover. He then continued to read.

She listened to him, and for once she actually felt peaceful. The story was of a man named Orpheus who could play the lyre beautifully, then his true love died. He went to the Underworld to get her back and Hades took pity on him, he made a deal. If Orpheus doesn't look at Eurydice, his true love, till he reaches the upper world, then he could have her. But Orpheus couldn't help looking back to check that she was still following, and she was sucked back down. Orpheus was later killed by a band of angry ladies because he didn't give them any attention.

_'__A bad way to go if you ask me.' _Venus thought.

"That's a nice story." She said to Bash.

"I think so too, it is meant to teach a lesson of trust and patience." He said.

"What I got from that is not to make deals with Hades." Venus responded.

"That too." Bash complied.

He closed the book and stood.

"I seem to have lost track of time." He said looking out the window. "I promised I'd shoot with the guards and it's nearly time for me to meet them in the courtyard."

"Can I go with you?" She asked eagerly.

"You are not well, and ladies should not handle weapons." He said incredulously.

"Well then I guess I'm no lady. Also I heal extremely quickly. I don't even need these bandages anymore."

_'__Perks of being a witch, I don't have to rely on medieval medicine.' _

Venus then turned herself around and threw the covers off of her, she jumped to her feet. Bash looked her up and down, shocked.

"But just yesterday you could hardly move." He said bewildered.

"Perks of being a celestial being. Now come on, let's go shoot. What are we shooting with by the way?"

"Bow and arrows..." He replied turning to leave. Venus followed him.

"Wait. You're not going out like that, are you?" Bash asked looking her up and down.

"Sure, why not?" Venus asked confused. She fingered the dress and wondered what was wrong with it.

"It's a dressing gown! I'll go fetch a dress and slippers for you." He said barely covering a smile at the thought of a lady shooting a bow and arrow in a dressing gown.


	3. 13 Arrows

Bash returned with several layers of clothing and some brown slippers. It was quite comical when he burst through the door weighed down with the various garments. Lace and cloth spilling from his arms he said, "Borrowed these from Kenna, I think they ought to fit you, m'lady."

"Uhhh..." Venus murmured staring at all the layers.

"Something wrong?" Bash asked. He was confused at her apprehension. Hurriedly he looked at the clothes while wondering what he may have forgotten.

"Do you know what goes on first?" She asked feeling stupid.

"Oh, er.. I don't know. Never really had to know before." He said running a hand through his inky hair. The action caused him to drop some of the garments and he struggled to catch them.

"Here, lay them on the bed." Venus suggested with a gesture to the simple and humble bed.

Bash took her suggestion and dumped his bundle onto her bed. He ran a hand through his hair again. Venus surveyed the pile and wondered which piece should go on first.

"Can I help in anyway m'lady?" Bash asked attempting to be helpful.

"No. I think I'll just figure this out myself, thanks." Venus said. "And I told you before, just Venus is fine, m'lady is really not necessary."

"Yes, m'la- Venus." Bash corrected himself with a smile. Venus returned his smile and Bash made to leave.

"Wait. I know this is a weird question, but what year is it?" Venus asked to Bash's retreating back. He turned so that he could look at her over his shoulder.

Bash's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he stared at her. "1557."

Bash left through the small wooden door.

_'__Great! Just great. I love chamber pots.'_ She thought sarcastically while contemplating how best to dress herself.

She started by pulling on the slippers, because that was easiest. Venus pulled out a thin, cream colored under-dress. She slipped it over her head the thin, loose sleeves grew tight at her wrists. She then pulled on the puffy, silver skirt with floral designs in light blue. She then attempted to lace up the black bodice with red and gold embroidery. She had no luck and called Bash back in. He apparently had been standing outside the door because he heard her and came back through the small wooden door.

"Bash, can you lace this up?" Venus asked. She saw him grow a little pink and tug at his collar.

"Yes." He replied mussing up his hair again. She turned around and pulled her chestnut-colored hair off her back. She felt his swift hands lace it up quickly and efficiently tying it into a bow at the end. Venus turned back to face him and noticed how close they were. She felt butterflies in her stomach.

_'__No.'_ She thought forcefully. She hardened her face and turning back around.

She looked in the mirror, sitting in the corner, examining her tan skin and long, wavy hair. She hoped that she had guessed right about the clothes.

"Do you think this looks right?" She asked Bash.

"Yes, that's the way she wore it." He replied.

"Then let's get outta here." Venus said, striding over to the wooden door. She threw it open and entered the cold and damp corridor. She saw light spilling through at one end.

"How long will your potion last, though?" Bash asked grabbing her arm to stop her from sprinting towards the light. One day in a dimly lit room was enough for her.

"I don't know," Venus replied, "But I'm going to keep it with me, so if you see some wings appearing do this," Venus then whistled a sweet short tune.

"How about I just whisper it in your ear." Bash said with a grin.

"That'll work too, I guess." Said Venus continuing down the corridor with Bash at her side.

"Do you know how to shoot?" Asked Bash.

"Yes, I often do it at home." Venus said without thinking, "Uh, I mean, we angels enjoy the sport."

_'__Stupid. You're going to get yourself killed.' _ Venus thought to herself.

She stepped out of the rocky corridor and into a field at the edge of a gulf. She longed to spread out her wings and fly out over the beautiful water. It was has if Bash read her mind. He weaved his arm through her's and escorted her towards the center of a cobble-stoned courtyard. At least 20 guards were shooting at bales of hay with crudely painted targets on them. They waved at Bash and cast curious glances at Venus.

He walked to a barrel containing long bows and quivers filled with 13 arrows. After picking one up for himself he handed one to her. She reached in and fished out a quiver for herself. Bash was still looking at her in wonder. The guards began to murmur among themselves.

Bash noticed the murmuring and his brows furrowed as he fully understood what he had done by allowing her a weapon. If she did poorly, the guards will think woman have no place in battle and are therefore inferior. But, if she shows them all up then they will think of her as a near equal.

"You're going to make a scene." Whispered Bash in her ear. It sounded almost like a warning.

"It's what I'm good at." She whispered back with a grin.

She then walked briskly and purposefully in front of the nearest target. The target was close by her standards and it was standing still which made it even easier to shoot at.

"You are going to let a woman shoot?" Called one guard.

"Who is she anyway?" She heard another whisper to his friend.

"Just give her a chance." Bash said in reply. His green eyes boring into her.

Venus closed her eyes and exhaled then she looked at the target. She knocked an arrow and drew the string of the longbow back. In the second she took to aim she felt the charge in the air, this was her make or break moment. She carefully pulled her wrist back, letting the arrow fly. She watched it spin and twist through the air. The guards surrounding her and Bash by her side all followed the arrow's progress with intense gazes.

It hit dead center.

She then drew and fired faster than any of the guards had seen before. She emptied her quiver and each arrow flew to it's mark and by the end she had created the design of a flower with her arrows.

She dropped her arm and looked around.

A slow clap started and continued until it was a roar. Venus laughed and bowed.

She had been fearful that some of the guards would have been upset that she was a better marksmen than they were, but these seemed like good men. After the clapping had died down someone yelled to Bash, "Can she teach us how to shoot like that?"

Bash grinned but shook his head.

"I don't think that would be appropriate." He said to him.


End file.
